Chapter 10 – What can go wrong on a plane flight from Shenzhen to Sydney?
In Chapter 10 of Emma and Lucas – A Journey to Australia Lucas and his twin sister Emma experience one of the things that can go wrong on the plane – and perhaps not what our students were expecting…
Air-travel is one of those topics which evokes very different emotions in different people. The awareness that you are flying at almost 1000 km/h many kilometers above the surface of the earth or ocean makes many passengers feel nervous, while others think nothing of it. Statistically speaking, most travellers will never experience a mechanical failure during air travel in their lifetime. However, for many passengers, there is something other than the physical safety aspect which makes them a bit apprehensive. The fact is, when you travel by air, you cannot choose your fellow passengers. On an aeroplane, you are exposed (for better or worse) to the actions, behaviours and incidents relating to other passengers. And obviously if things get awkward or uncomfortable, there is no escaping the plane during mid-flight. Being able to communicate confidently in English may turn out to be highly beneficial if you find yourself dealing with an unexpected emergency when you travel overseas.
“On their direct flight from Shenzhen to Sydney, Lucas and Emma experience one of the things that can go wrong on an aeroplane flight…”
Medical emergency on the international flight
An excerpt from Chapter 10 reads as follows: “Lucas looks down, and sees a man lying on the floor. The man appears to be middle-aged. He is wearing dark trousers, and a thin, light brown jacket. Lucas stares at him, shocked. The man’s eyes are wide open. It seems that he is not breathing…”
Airline staff are of course trained to deal with medical emergencies, but for the person who first becomes aware of such an incident it can still be a confronting experience.
The rest of Chapter 10 deals with Lucas’ initial response to the incident and the events which immediately follow. Lucas’ prompt response clearly implies that his decision to learn English before he travelled is already paying off. Students are also introduced to English expressions such as a passenger “racing” (i.e. running as quickly as he can) down the aisle to assist, and the “paramedic” who thankfully volunteers to assist.
Here you can listen to a preview of Chapter 10.